Lore Keepers
by Annamia
Summary: Padma Patil was the second brightest witch of her year. Rowena Ravenclaw was a young girl with a thirst for freedom. One founded the greatest school in living history. The other learned about it. This is their story.


_Author's note: _So, exactly two days after declaring that we shall no longer post stories before they've been finished, we're changing our minds. Granted, this is a special case. Sort of. Okay, so not really. But we're not just randomly posting because we're bored. We're posting this now, without being finished, because we're losing faith in the story and losing the will to write it, and we're hoping that posting it will help us get that back. We really do like the story, and we don't want to give up on it (again), so we're trying an experiment. In order for it to work, people must respond. So, if y'all could possibly let us know what you think in the form of a review, it would be delightful. We don't usually beg, but, as I said, this is a special case. Sort of. Not really.  
Anyway, for those of you who read what's up of _The Keepers of Wisdom_, this is a rewrite, meaning that it conserves the same general plot. Hopefully this time the writing's better and the story more coherent and consistent. For those of you who never got around to reading _Keepers, _that's totally fine. (It's fine if you want to go back and read it, too. It's just not great literature. Not that this version is either, sadly...) Anywho, hope you like it. Feel more than free to let us know how you feel, what you think, and where you think it should go.  
_Disclaimer: _were we Ms. Rowling, we wouldn't get to get the story out this way. We'd have to stick to our vow, and Goddess only knows how long that would take us.  
--kyra  
p.s. We think we've screened for typos, but they tend to slip past us, so please point them out if/when you see them.

* * *

1

Histories

Padma Patil, second brightest witch of her year, sat in the Ravenclaw common room. She had finished all of her homework, had lectured some first years about proper study habits, and had suffered through a rendition of Cho Chang's passion for Doren Fibblehorn, the star of her favorite radio play. If that was not true friendship, Padma did not know what was. But Cho had moved on to talk to someone else now, and Padma sat alone, wondering what to do. It was not often that she found herself bored, but this was one of those few times. She glanced at her watch; dinner had not yet been served.

A noise made her turn her head, and she saw a paper airplane zoom out of the suddenly emerald colored fire and head straight for her. Padma shifted, expecting it to fly right by, but it stopped in front of her and dropped into her lap, the charm deactivating itself. She frowned, picking the plane up. It was not an uncommon way to send messages, true, but she had not thought anyone with access to floo powder would go to the trouble of sending an airplane instead of simply visiting in person.

Curious, she unfolded the plane, smoothing it out to read the words it contained. She did not recognize the penmanship, and the note was unsigned. Padma frowned, wondering what was going on. She started to put it down, remembering the events of her fourth year, then stopped herself. Had the note been a portkey, she would have been whisked off right away. She had not been, thus the note could not be one. That did not, of course, mean that it was safe, but Padma comforted herself by wondering who would think to attack _her. _She was no Harry Potter, with people chasing her left and right. She was simply Padma Patil, second brightest witch of her year.

She looked back down at the note, actually reading the words this time.

_Miss Patil,_

_Please report to the Headmaster's office this evening at precisely eight o'clock._

Padma sighed. That had been supremely unhelpful. In her opinion, when someone was inviting you somewhere, they should at least tell you why. She looked back down at the note, ready to fold it back up, and saw a tiny symbol etched in above her name. She peered at it more closely, and realized that it was, in fact, a concealment charm. Clearly Professor Dumbledore, if he had been the one to write this, had guessed her reaction to such a curt initial message.

Padma picked up her wand and touched it to the parchment, murmuring the standard canceling spell. The note stayed as it was. Frowning, she attempted the variations she knew. None worked. Frustrated, she cast a diagnostic spell on the parchment, to ensure that she had not simply read too far into an ink splotch. She had not. So why could she not undo it?

Laying both her wand and the note aside, Padma rose and headed for the far end of the common room. She murmured the password to undo the glamour spells which hid the actual appearance of the wall, and stepped through the layer of protection. What awaited her was a library, which, while less extensive than the official Hogwarts library, contained everything a student needed for work, as well as some of the more exotic of the other genres. If one knew where to look, one could even find books not even owned by the Hogwarts library. Whether this was known to Madam Pince or not, Padma did not know.

However, she was not looking for rare and exotic manuscripts, but something far more basic. Bottom lip caught between her teeth, Padma's eyes scanned the shelves, searching for the advanced Charms manual. There it was!

"Charms, Fitzgerald," she ordered. The spells maintaining the library activated, and the book in question floated down until she could catch it. Padma left the protected section of the common room and returned to her chair, glad to see that none had stolen it during her brief absence. She opened the book and began paging through it, searching for the section she needed. She located it quickly and scanned the chapter, trying to find variations on the concealment charm and, more crucially, how to break them. She found nothing. With a sigh, Padma closed the book and started to put it back again when a familiar blond figure paused in front of her.

"Are you having trouble?" Luna Lovegood asked Padma. Had she been anyone else, Padma would have sworn that she was being impertinent, but Luna seemed incapable of such an action. Her wide gray eyes stared into Padma's black ones, not blinking as often as normal eyes did. Padma found herself blinking double to make up for it.

"Actually, I am," she said at last. She passed Luna the note, pointing out the concealment mark above her name. "Do you know how to undo it?"

Luna peered at the mark, then pulled her wand out from behind her ear. She tapped it against the parchment briskly, her lips moving soundlessly. Nothing happened. She cocked her head to the side, then preformed the same diagnostic spell as Padma. Padma waited impatiently for her to finish, wondering if Luna could possibly find something that Padma had missed. The girl _was _a year younger than Padma, after all, and Padma worked quite a bit above her own level.

Luna watched the diagnostic, her face showing only mild interest. She watched for much longer than it took for the spell to run its course, and Padma fought the urge to tear the note out of the blonde's hands. Patience, unfortunately, was not one of Padma's strong points, though she hid it well.

At last, Luna returned her head to its normal position on her neck and handed the note back to Padma. "Try an unlocking spell on it," she suggested, before drifting away. Padma watched her go, eyes narrowed. An unlocking spell? One she had learned before she even came to Hogwarts? She sincerely doubted that it would be that simple. Still, it would never hurt to try, and Luna might ask. Sighing, Padma touched her wand to the parchment again. Feeling ridiculous, she soundlessly cast the unlocking spell, her wand tip tapping the parchment as she did so.

To her shock, the curt, formal note melted away, replaced by a single line.

_Jordan. 941.85, page 305_

Still reeling in amazement that the spell had actually worked, Padma rose and once more passed through the protection into the Ravenclaw library. She ran her hand along the shelf until she reached the 900s, then scanned the titles until she found the appropriate tome. She glanced at the title. _Myths and Legends of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with Surrounding Lands_. This was in the history section? Shaking her head at the folly of classification systems, Padma flipped to the requested page and scanned it. Halfway down, she found a section entitled, 'Lore Keepers.' She had never heard of Lore Keepers. Frowning slightly, she slid to a seat, back pressed against the bottom shelf of history books, and began to read.

* * *

Her stomach notified her not long later, and Padma reluctantly resurfaced from her literary indulgence. She closed the book and reshelved it, stretching as she stood. A glance at her watch told her that she had not spent too long absorbed in the intricacies of long forgotten Hogwarts customs. It also told her that she had forty-five minutes until her eight o'clock rendezvous with Professor Dumbledore. Plenty of time to head down to the Great Hall for a bite to eat.

The common room was about half empty when she emerged. A few students nodded or called greetings as she passed, all of which she returned cordially. Neither Luna nor Cho were present, thankfully, and Padma was spared a second encounter with them. She did nor _dislike_ either of the two girls, but once a day was more than enough.

She winced upon entering the Great Hall. Even after the better part of five years and two weeks spent living at the school full time and entering the Great Hall three times a day, the ruckus still caught her off guard. Who would have thought that 200 some students could sound like ten times that?

Her friend Mandy waved her over to an empty seat at the Ravenclaw table, then smiled apologetically and nodded towards the Gryffindor table. "She wanted to talk to you," Mandy told Padma. "I promised her I'd tell her when you showed up."

Padma sighed as her twin gracefully left the Gryffindor table and made her way across the Great Hall. "Couldn't you have stayed loyal to me for once?" she complained.

Mandy shrugged. "She scares me," she admitted.

As Parvati, upon occasion, had been known to scare Padma as well, the Ravenclaw Prefect could find nothing to say in return. Before she had time to admonish her friend more, Parvati was sliding into a seat across from Padma, and it was too late.

"Don't look so sad to see me," Parvati teased. "I know you're thrilled. I haven't talked to you all day, you know."

Padma sighed. "Don't you have your own friends?" she wanted to know.

Parvati pouted. "Don't be angry," she admonished with mock sternness. "I have important news for you."

Padma sighed. "Will I be able to talk you out of it?"

"Will you be able to talk me out of what?" Parvati wanted to know.

"Whatever it is that you're planning this time."

"Who says I'm planning anything?"

"You wouldn't be here if you weren't planning anything. Spit it out."

Parvati sighed. "You have so little faith in my good intentions," she said sadly.

Padma raised her eyebrows. "Name a time that supports your cause," she taunted.

The Gryffindor did not even bother to think. Instead, "Do you even want to know what I have to tell you?"

Padma sighed. "I suppose," she said. "You will anyway, so I may as well be willing to hear it."

Parvati laughed. "You know me well," she said approvingly.

"I've only known you for a little fewer than 16 years," Padma reminded her. "It would be sad if I did not know you well."

"So it would," Parvati agreed. She leaned closer, somehow managing to avoid all food items blacking her path to Padma. "Hermione and Ron had another row."

Padma stared at her. "Parvati, dear, have you possibly gone senile? Hermione and Ron are _always_ fighting. What makes this news?"

Parvati shook her head disapprovingly. "We haven't been in school for two weeks yet, and they didn't see each other over the summer. Normally they can stand each other for at least a month."

"So they're under the sway of their hormones," Padma said dismissively, helping herself to some kidney pie. She honestly did not understand why her usually conniving sister found this tidbit so very fascinating.

Parvati sighed. "You're not concentrating," she said disapprovingly. "I explained all of this to you over the summer, remember?"

Padma shook her head, mouth full.

"Well, since I don't fancy re-educating you, you will have to remember. What did I tell you about Hermione and Ron?"

Padma sighed, knowing full well that Parvati would not leave her alone until Padma had answered her questions appropriately. She closed her eyes, casting her mind back to those times over the summer when Parvati had sat her down and explained how she knew all of the things she knew. Finally, she tried, "Er, they like each other and won't admit it?"

Parvati nodded. "_Yes_!" she said triumphantly. "And this proves it."

Padma sighed. "I fail to see how this proves anything," she said tiredly. She glanced at her watch; only a few minutes had passed. "Apart from the possible fact that you came over here to escape the noise at your own table."

Parvati laughed. "I won't lie, that was a factor. But the bickering means that they're that much closer to admitting it to each other."

"And this is good?"

"Good? Padma, it's wonderful!"

"Ah, of course."

Parvati sighed. "Can you try to whip up a _little_ enthusiasm for me, please? I managed it for you when you got straight O's on your O.W.L.'s."

Padma smirked. "Hermione got an E," she said smugly. "My scores were better than hers, for once."

Parvati nodded. "Yes, yes, of course," she agreed. "Pretend that I've gotten straight O's and work up that level of excitement."

Padma closed her eyes, attempting to picture Parvati with straight O's. At last, she shook her head. "Sorry," she told her twin. "That image simply does not work."

"Well, then find something else to be excited about."

"I think it would help if I knew _why_ I was supposed to be excited," Padma suggested. "You don't normally get this worked up over romances you knew were coming." She ate the last bite of her kidney pie and, after a moment's pause, cut herself another, smaller piece, maneuvering it neatly to her plate.

Parvati sighed impatiently. "Padma, do you _ever_ listen when I tell you things?" she wanted to know.

"That depends on the subject. When it comes to the intricacies of Gryffindor romances, no."

"Well, if you did, then you would know that this proves my Inner Eye is getting stronger."

"Because two people are fighting? Forgive me for being skeptical."

"And what would you do if I didn't?"

"Didn't what?"

"Forgive you, of course."

Padma shrugged. "Then I would be forced to live on in ignominy, knowing that my favorite sister refused to forgive me for doubting her."

"I'm your only sister."

"All the more reason for you to be my favorite, then."

Parvati sighed. "You're being aggravating," she informed her twin.

Padma raised her eyebrows. "Aggravating?" she repeated.

"Aggravating," Parvati agreed.

Padma bowed. It was an awkward bow, as she was still seated, but a bow all the same. "Forgive me, sister mine. I will endeavor not to be so again."

Parvati nodded. "Good." She lapsed into silence, during which Padma finished her meal. Finally, just as the desert appeared, Parvati asked casually, "Padma?"

Suspicious, Padma replied, "Yes?"

"Did anyone in Ravenclaw get invited to Professor Dumbledore's office this evening?"

Padma stiffened. "Why do you ask?" she wanted to know.

Parvati shrugged. "No reason. Was it you?"

"And what if it was?"

Parvati's eyes lit up. "Then you can tell me what's going on!" she enthused.

"Who was invited from Gryffindor?"

"Who else? Harry Potter."

Padma sighed. "Of course." She could have guessed that one on her own.

"So?" Parvati insisted. "Why were you summoned?"

Padma grimaced. "I'm certain I have no idea," she admitted.

Parvati pouted. "Oh, come on!" she wheedled. "Just a little hint?"

"If I knew, I would be glad to tell you," Padma assured her. "But I have no actual idea of why we are being summoned." Nor did she know why the hidden message had pointed her to the passage concerning the Lore Keepers. They were a legend, a hypothetical secret society which had at one point maybe existed at Hogwarts. The book had not been entirely clear as to the point of this society, though Padma could infer some from the name of their group, but it had certainly been firm about that fact that they no longer existed, if indeed they ever had.

Parvati sighed. "You're certain you don't know?"

"I am certain."

Shaking her head sadly, Padma's twin rose. "Tell me when you return," she ordered.

Padma raised her eyebrows. "You're not going to stay?"

"No, I'm afraid I can't. I have big plans."

"Plans concerning Ron and Hermione?"

"Ding ding, we have a winner!"

Padma rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that hard to guess," she pointed out. "Don't forget, I know you."

"So you do," Parvati agreed. "I will see you later."

Padma nodded, and Parvati glided away. Watching her go, Padma sighed. "Sometimes, I wonder how I can be related to her," she muttered.

Hearing her, Mandy laughed. "You know," she admitted, "sometimes I do too."

Padma stopped in front of the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's office, frowning at it. How was she suppose to know the password? Clearly the person writing the message had forgotten that small detail. Closing her eyes, she started running through a list of words that Professor Dumbledore might find appropriate for guarding his sanctuary. "Phoenix?" she tired. Nothing. "Er, how about Magic?" Still nothing.

"Don't bother. I've tried."

Padma turned to see a blond girl emerge from the shadows. She held a small paperback carefully in one hand, fingers stuck between the pages to mark her place.

"Susan?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was invited," Susan told her. "And so, I assume, were you."

Padma nodded. "So was Harry Potter, apparently," she said. "Do you know what we are doing here?"

Susan shook her head. "My invitation came with some background information, but it seemed rather cryptic."

Padma nodded. "Mine too," she admitted. "Was yours about the Lore Keepers?"

"It was."

"And what do you think?"

Padma shrugged. "I don't know. From what I read, they don't actually seem to exist."

"You would be surprised what exists that we would never imagine," Susan told her gravely. "This is not overly, in comparison."

Padma laughed. "Now you sound like Luna Lovegood," she informed Susan.

"She knows more than she lets on," Susan said, straight faced. "If more people listened to her, possibly we would be better equipped to deal with our current situation?"

"Lore Keepers?" Padma asked skeptically.

Susan smiled slightly. "Possibly," she agreed. "But I was actually referring to the return of Voldemort."

Padma started, staring at the blond. Apart from Harry and Dumbledore, she had never known anyone to say his name so openly.

Susan laughed. "Yes Padma, I said it. My aunt says that we can't allow their fear tactics to beat us, and the best way for us to win this fight is to show that we are not afraid of them."

"And if we are afraid?" Padma asked bluntly.

"Then we pretend not to be and hope that they believe us."

Padma grinned slightly. "Good luck with that," she said earnestly.

Susan started to answer, but was cut off by the sound of male voices. The two girls exchanged glances. "Harry and Malfoy," Padma said with a sigh. "Did it _have_ to be those two?"

"Apparently so," Susan said. She looked at her watch. "Right on time, too."

The two turned the corner, still bickering at top volume. Padma looked away, not wanting to know what they were talking about. Not that she could help overhearing; the volume at which they were conducting their discussion was not exactly conducive to being ignored.

"How _dare_ you say such things about my mother?" Harry roared.

"I speak only the truth, Potter," Malfoy retorted, his voice slightly more controlled but no less loud.

"No you don't," Harry insisted. "You're a liar, just like the rest of your family."

"Leave my family out of this, Potter."

"Why? You don't leave mine out of anything?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Padma saw Susan advance on the bickering pair, and her eyes widened. Was Susan really going to attempt to separate them? Padma closed her eyes, sending up a quick prayer to any Gods who happened to be listening for Susan's safety, then opened her eyes again, not wanting to miss anything.

"While all of this is quite fascinating, and no doubt therapeutic, I would appreciate it if you would conduct your squabbling on your own time."

Both Harry and Malfoy turned to glare at her. Padma, remembering what Susan had said about pretending not to be afraid, stepped up to support her friend.

"What are you doing here, may I ask?" Malfoy asked scornfully.

"I was summoned as, I assume, were you," Susan informed him calmly.

Malfoy sneered. "Well, with both you _and_ Potter, I may as well be slumming." He nodded coldly to Padma. "I am glad to see that there is at least _someone_ with sense here."

Padma nodded back. "There is," she agreed. "But it does not seem to be you. Susan, what time is it?"

Susan glanced at her watch as Malfoy glowered darkly in Padma's direction. Padma ignored him. He would not try anything, of that she was certain. She was a better duelist than he was, and both of them knew it. Malfoy might be a bully, but the first rule of bullying was to always pick on the weakest targets. Padma was not the weakest target, and thus she was safe. She would bet that Susan was not the weakest either, though Malfoy might not know that yet.

"8 o'clock, precisely," Susan declared, just as the stone gargoyle slid aside. Glancing at Susan, Padma took a step forwards, then another, stepping onto the moving staircase. The four students rode in silence for what seemed to Padma like a very long time. At last, the staircase paused and they filed off, through a small door and into a short hallway. It seemed fairly bare; not at all what one would expect a Headmaster's entrance hall to look like. Padma frowned.

The much larger door at the end of the hallway swung open apparently of its own volition and, squaring her back, Padma walked towards it. She passed through, only to discover the reason the hall was empty: everything that could possibly have been in that hall was now in the Headmaster's office itself. Padma looked around in growing wonder, wishing she had years to explore. She felt that, even with years, she would never learn all the secrets contained in this office, but she would at least have made a good start. Unfortunately, she did not have years, and she was blocking the doorway. Reluctantly, she moved farther into the room, forced out of her awed contemplation of the entire room.

Professor Dumbledore sat behind his desk, his phoenix before him. He smiled at the four students and gestured them towards seats by the fire. Padma found herself seated between Malfoy and Susan, with Harry on the other end. The arrangement did not especially please her, but it was better than placing Malfoy next to either of the other two. Professor Dumbledore allowed the silence to grow more and more uncomfortable, seeming not to notice the tension radiating from the four teenagers sitting before his fire. He simply sat there, still stroking his phoenix passively.

At last, Harry turned, beating Padma to it by a fraction of a second. "Professor, what are we doing here?"

Professor Dumbledore looked up at Harry. "Did you not do your homework, Harry?"

Harry frowned. "What?"

"The Lore Keepers aren't real, though, right?" Padma interrupted. She could only assume that that was what Professor Dumbledore meant, but Jordan's book had been very specific. The Lore Keepers were a legend, nothing more.

Professor Dumbledore sighed. "Jordan is informative, but not always accurate," he told Padma. "Unfortunately, he was the best source to give. I trust you did not have much trouble locating the proper information?"

"No sir," Padma said. Not after Luna discovered how very simple your spell truly was. But she was not about to admit to that in public. Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her, and she looked away, afraid that he had guessed anyway.

"What are you guys talking about?" Harry demanded.

Professor Dumbledore sighed. "Miss Patil? Will you enlighten us as to the contents of the excellent Mr. Jordan's book?"

Padma grimaced, but nodded. "Apparently, the Lore Keepers were some kind of fabled secret society at Hogwarts. Jordan didn't really know what they did, but he claimed that the members of this society possessed knowledge that, if revealed to the general public, could spell doom for Hogwarts and all of Wizarding Britain. He also said that they do not exist now and probably never did."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you, Miss Patil. That is an excellent, if somewhat apocalyptic description of our function here. To be clearer, the Lore Keepers are exactly what their name suggests: guardians of the history of Hogwarts, of what has shaped it and how it has grown."

"Why?" Malfoy asked bluntly.

"When history is forgotten, a part of the present is lost," Professor Dumbledore said gravely. "The only way to truly understand and preserve what we know is to learn about those who have come before."

"So this is just another lesson?" Harry asked in disgust.

"If you choose to think of it that way, then yes," Professor Dumbledore admitted. "You will come here once a week at this time, and I will recount the stories of those who came before you. At the end of next year, you will know the story of the school and its people, and, in time, one of you will take on your own students."

Susan frowned slightly. "What if we're not teachers?" she wanted to know.

"Among you here, one or more will remain," Professor Dumbledore said firmly. "And now, our time grows short, and I have much to tell you tonight." He rose and moved to sit in the empty chair directly in front of the fire. The phoenix did not join him, but flew to its perch a little ways away. All four students watched Professor Dumbledore with varying degrees of interest as he began to tell them of those who had lived so long ago.


End file.
